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3%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
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7%%"Vietnam veteran" is not a race. Do not describe what Rambo experiences as racism.
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9----
10[[index]]
11* [[Characters/RamboJohnRambo John Rambo]]
12* ''Characters/FirstBlood''
13* ''Characters/RamboFirstBloodPartII''
14* ''Characters/RamboIII''
15* ''Characters/RamboIV''
16* ''Characters/RamboLastBlood''
17[[/index]]
18----
19[[foldercontrol]]
20
21!!Main Characters
22
23[[folder:John Rambo]]
24See his character page [[Characters/RamboJohnRambo here]].
25[[/folder]]
26
27[[folder:Col. Samuel "Sam" Trautman]]
28!!Colonel Samuel "Sam" Trautman
29[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/trautman.jpg]]
30[[caption-width-right:350:''"You're always going to be tearing away at yourself until you come to terms with who you are. Until you come full circle."'']]
31!!!'''Played By:''' Creator/RichardCrenna [[labelnote:Other Languages]]Creator/PierreHatet (European French, ''First Blood'')[[/labelnote]]
32!!!'''Appearances:''' ''Film/FirstBlood'' | ''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'' | ''Film/RamboIII'' | ''Film/RamboIV'' [[note]]Flashback (archive footage)[[/note]]
33
34->''"God didn't make Rambo... I made him."''
35
36Colonel in the United States Army Special Forces, 5th Special Forces Group, later 1st Special Operations CMD. He is the GreaterScopeParagon of the series, being Rambo's mentor.
37----
38* AdaptationalHeroism: Trautman is more of AFatherToHisMen type in the movie than in the book, where he was more of a PunchClockHero and a NominalHero who doesn't get too close with his subordinates.
39* AnimalMotifs: He's described in the novel as resembling a sleek and efficient predator like a weasel.
40* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted in ''Rambo: First Blood Part II''. Despite having the helicopter close to the ground, he is forced by Murdock, and his mercenaries (by gunpoint) to abandon Rambo. He knew Murdock would regret that decision.
41* BigGood: Of the films, as he was the one who recruited, trained and commanded Rambo on missions since Vietnam. He is also a ParentalSubstitute for him and was able to talk Rambo into surrendering in the climax of the first film.
42* ColonelBadass: But really, what did you expect from the man who trained ''Rambo''?
43* GreaterScopeParagon: He become this of the fourth film in his absence following the death of his actor Richard Crenna in 2003 five years prior to the fourth installment's theatrical release, due to his influence on Rambo.
44* HeroOfAnotherStory: The DVD extras contain a biography of Trautman, revealing that he served with distinction in the Korean War; it can be presumed that his combat experience in Korea is what helped established a more civil relationship with the first film's BigBad Teasle who is a fellow Korean War veteran like Trautman.
45* IgnoredExpert: Teasle intentionally ignores Trautman's advice on how to handle Rambo, despite the track record so far.
46* KickedUpstairs: Explains to Rambo that he was shuffled off to a do-nothing desk job at the Pentagon some time after the war ended:
47-->'''Rambo:''' I tried to get in touch with you, but the guys at Bragg never knew where to find you.\
48'''Trautman:''' Well, I haven't been spending much time there lately. They've got me down in D.C., I'm shining a seat with my ass.
49* TheMentor: He's the man who recruited Rambo into Special Forces and trained him to be a OneManArmy.
50* MoralityChain:
51** Usually the only one who can talk Rambo out of his more screwed up moments. He was able to talk Rambo out of going through with his massacre while he's been pushed, and not only lived, but even convinced him to surrender!
52** In the first film, Trautman also tried to be this towards Teasle, presumably as Teasle himself is not only a fellow military vet, but specifically a fellow Korean War vet like Trautman who likely understood how he felt. Unfortunately, Teasle does a RedemptionRejection towards Trautman's attempts to reason him that leads him to be wounded by Rambo in battle.
53* ThePardon: He offers Rambo this in the beginning of the second movie; conduct a top secret assignment (take photographic evidence of existence of [=POW=]s in Vietnam), and get pardoned for the crimes he committed in the first movie.
54* ParentalSubstitute: Lampshaded with his first words on screen.
55* SaveTheVillain: In the first film, he make this trope clear about his intent:
56--> '''Col. Trautman:''' I don't think you understand. I didn't come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.
57-->'''Sheriff Teasle:''' Well, we all appreciate your concern Colonel, I will try to be extra careful.
58** Trautman up to the end of the first film made good on his word on this when he talks down Rambo into surrendering and to not kill Teasle, though not without accepting Teasle to be absolutely BeyondRedemption despite being NotWorthKilling when Trautman and Rambo shared a look of scorn towards the DirtyCop as he is loaded onto an ambulance.
59* SchrodingersCast: His relationship between Rambo and him is completely different in the novel than in the films (more akin to that of [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} psychiatrist Dr. Samuel "Sam" Loomis and his homicidal mental patient Michael Myers]], as the two Sams are handlers of the young maniacs and were sent to stop them), also Trautman is a Captain in the book.
60* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In the fourth film, Trautman only appears briefly in a flashback scene. It's never mentioned what happened to the character following ''Rambo III''. This was probably done out of respect for actor Richard Crenna, who passed away in 2003, five years before the release of the fourth movie.
61[[/folder]]

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